Dialect Pronunciation Chart

Eoin — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 09:40:09 +0000

I’ve decided to start this thread for those seeking help with pronunciation. Simply type in the Irish word you need a pronunciation for and other volunteers to the site will add a phonetic rendering of that word in a dialect of Irish that they are comfortable wtih.

If you’re looking for a certain pronunciation, please ask on our free translation forum.

I think this can be a valuable resource to help others with their pronunciation as well as to illustrate the sometimes subtle differences between the various dialects of Irish. Ofcourse this will require cooperation from some of the more advanced speakers, which has never been a problem here. If you have any suggestions how to make this better please contact me.

Word (meaning)	Munster	Connacht	Ulster
Abhaile (home)	av-all-yeh	uh-WAL-yeh	uh-WALL-eh
Abair (say)		AH-ber
Ach (but)	uch*	ach*	ach*
Agam (lit: at me/ I have)	ugum	AH-gum
Agat (lit: at you/ you have)	ugut	AH-gut
Aige (lit: at him/ he has)		EGG-uh
Aici (lit: at her/ she has)		ECK-uh
Againn (lit: at us/ we have)		AH-ginn
Agaibh (lit: at you (pl.)/ you have)		AH-giv (AH-gee)
Acu (lit: at them/ they have)		AH-koo(b)
Agus (and)	ugoos	OG-uss
Ag caint (talking)	ug cant	uh KYNTCH
Ag canadh (singing)	ug KUN-ay	uh KAH-nuh
Ag dul (going)	ug dool	uh DULL / GULL
Ag éisteacht (listening)	ug AYSH-tuckt	ug AYSH-tuch*t
Ag féachaint (looking)	ug FAY-ch*unt	uh FAY-ch*untch
Ag gáire (laughing)	ug gaw-reh	uh GAW-ruh
Ag gól (crying)	ug gole	uh GOLE
Ag imeacht (going away)	ug IM-uckt	ug IM-yuch*t
Ag ithe (eating)	ug i-heh	ug IH-huh
Ag léamh (reading)	ug layv	uh LAYV
Ag obair (working)	ug owe-ber	ug OH-ber
Ag ól (drinking)	ug ole	ug OLE
Ag rince (dancing)	ug rin-keh	uh RING-kuh
Ag rith (running)	ug rih	uh RUH
Ag scríobh (writing)	ug scree-ov	uh SHKREE-uv
Ag súgradh (playing)	ug SOOG-ray	uh SOO-gruh
Ag siúl (walking)	ug sh-yool	uh SHOOL
Ag teacht (coming)	ug tackt	uh CHACH*T
Amach (out)	am-ack	uh-MUCH*
Anois (now)	unish	uh-NISH
Anseo (here)	un-shaw	uh-SHUH
Ansin (there)	un-shin	un-SHIN
An bhfuilim? (am I?)	un vwil-im	uh will may
An bhfuilimid? (are we?)	un vwil-i-meedge	uh WILL-uh-mudge
An bhfuil sé? (is he?)	un vwill shay	uh will shay	un will shay
An bhfuil sí? (is she?)	un vwill shee	uh will shee	un will shee
An bhfuil siad? (are they?)	un vwill shee-ud	uh will SHEE-ud	un will shee-ud
An bhfuil sibh? (are you?/plural)	un vwill shiv	uh will shiv	un will shuv
An bhfuil tú? (are you?/singular)	un vwill too	uh will too	un will too
An ceacht (the lesson)	un kackt	un KYACH*T
An obair (the work)	un owe-ber	un OH-ber
An peann luaidhe (the pencil)	un payn loo-yeh	un PYAWN LOO-ee
An t-airgead (the money)	un tayr-gyad	un TAIR-uh-gyud	un thar-ged
An tsráid (the street)	un trawd	un TRAWDGE
An t-urlár (the floor)	un TER-lawr	un TOOR-lawr
Ar mhaith leat? (would you like?)	ur vah lyat	err WAH lyat	ur why lat
Ard (tall)		awrd
Ba mhaith liom (I would like)	buh vah lyum	buh WAH lyum	ba why lyum
Bán (white)	bawn	bawn
Beag (little/small)		byug
Bocht (poor)		boch*t
Bris (break)		brish
Buachaill (boy)	bwuh-ch*ill	BOO-uh-ch*ull
Cailc (chalk)		kalk
Caillte (lost)	CALL-cheh	KYLE-chuh
Caite (worn out)	CAH-cheh	KAH-chuh
Carr (car)		kawr
Ceannaigh (buy)		KYAN-nuh
Críochnaigh (finish)		KREEKH-nuh
Críochnaithe (finished)	kreeokh-naheh	KREEKH-nuh-huh
Cuir (put)		kwir
Déanta (done)	JANE-tuh	JANE-tuh
Dearg (red)		JAR-ug
Deas (nice)	jyas	jass	jass
Deisigh (mend)		JESH-uh
Donn (brown)		down
Dubh (black)	doov	doo
Dúch (ink)		dooch*
Duit (to you)	dit	ghwitch	gwitch
Dún (shut)		doon
Ealaintóir (artist)	ale-an-tore	AH-leen-tore	ale-in-chore
Éirigh (get up)		EYE-ruh
Éist (listen)		aysht
Fan (wait, stay)		fahn
Faigh (get)		fye
Féach (look)		faykh
Fionn (fair haired)		fyun
Folamh (empty)	folav	FAH-luh
Fraoch (heather)	fray-ukh	freekh
Glas (green)	glus	glahss
Gloine (glass)	glun-yeh	GLIN-yeh	glin-eh
Gorm (blue)1		GOR-um
Imithe (gone away)	IM-i-heh	IM-uh-huh
Inné (yesterday)	inn-yay	un-YAY
Isteach (in)	ISH-tuck	ish-TUCH*
Ith (eat)		ih
Láidir (strong)		LAW-jer
Léigh (read)		lay
Liath (grey haired)		LEE-uh
Mór (big/large)	Mowr	more
Múinteoir (teacher)	MOON-chore	MOON-chore
Nigh (wash)		nee
Nílim (I am not)	neel-im	neel may
Nílimid (we are not)	neel-mid	NEE-lih-midge
Níl sé (he is not)	neel shay	neel shay
Níl sí (she is not)	neel shee	neel shee
Níl siad (they are not)	neel shee-uhd	neel SHEE-ud
Níl sibh (you are not/plural)	neel shiv	neel shiv
Níl tú (you are not/singular)	neel too	neel too
Nua (new)		NOO-uh
Óg (young)	owg	ohg
Ól (drink)	ole	ole
Oráíste (an orange)		OR-awsh-tuh
Oscail (open)		OS-kull
Ramhar (fat)	raw-ur	ROW-er
Rith (run)		ruh
Rua (red haired)	roo-uh	ROO-uh
Pingin (a penny)		PING-gin
Punt (a pound)		punt
Scríobh (write)	sk-REE-uv	SHKREE-uv
Scríofa (written)	sk-REE-fuh	SHKREE-fuh
Scuab (sweep)		SKOO-ub
Seanduine (an old man)	shan-dineh	SHAN-DIN-uh
Seas (stand)		shass
Siúil (walk)		shule
Stad (stop)		stod
Stróic (tear)		stroke
Suigh (sit down)		see
Tabhair dom (give me)		TORE-um
Tar (come)		tar
Teigh (go)		chey
Tóg (take)		tohg
Táim (I am)	taw-im	taw may
Táimid (we are)	taw-mid	TAW-midge
Tá sé (he is)	taw shay	taw shay
Tá sí (she is)	taw shee	taw shee
Tá siad (they are)	taw shee-uhd	taw SHEE-uh
Tá sibh (you are/ plural)	taw shiv	taw shiv
Tá tú (you are/singular)	taw too	taw too
Uaine (green)		OO-eh-nuh

*ch Sounds like the end of the Scottish word “loch”

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Dialect Pronunciation Chart